Meanwhile, intelligence having been conveyed to General
Brock, then in command of the centre division of the
army, of the danger with which Amherstburg was threatened.
He immediately embarked what remained of the Regiment
occupying that post, with from one hundred and fifty
to two hundred choice Militia, in boats he had caused
to be collected for the purpose, and, coasting along
the lake, made such despatch that he arrived at Amherstburg
only a few days after General Hull, in his turn apprized
of the advance of this reinforcement, had recrossed
the river, and with the majority of his force, taken
refuge within the fortifications of Detroit.
Thus was that portion of Upper Canada, which by Proclamation
of the American General, had already been incorporated
with, and become a portion of the United States, restored
to its original possessors.

Not a moment did the English Commander lose, in following
up the advantage resulting from this mark of timidity
in his opponent. As soon as he had arrived and
ascertained the true state of affairs, he issued orders
for the march of the whole force to Sandwich, and,
having explained in a council with the Indian Chiefs,
the main features of his plan of attack, proceeded
to carry it into instant execution. His arrival
at Amherstburg was about the 13th of August, so that
until the morning of his meditated attack scarcely
three days were occupied in preparations, including
the march to Sandwich, a distance of eighteen miles.

It is difficult to imagine that the English General
could, in any way have anticipated so easy a conquest.
He had no reason to undervalue the resolution of the
enemy, and yet he appears to have been fully sanguine
of the success of his undertaking. Possibly he
counted much on his own decision and judgment, which,
added to the confidence reposed in him by all ranks
and branches of the expedition, he might have felt
fully adequate to the overthrow of the mere difficulty
arising from superiority of numbers. Whatever
his motive, or however founded his expectations of
success, the service he performed was eminent, since
he not merely relieved Amherstburgh, the key of Upper
Canada, from all immediate danger, but at a single
blow annihilated the American power throughout that
extensive frontier. That this bold measure, powerfully
contrasted as it was with his own previous vacillation
of purpose, had greatly tended to intimidate the American
General, and to render him distrustful of his own
resources, there can be little doubt. The destructive
fire from the well served breaching batteries, was
moreover instanced as an influencing cause of the
capitulation.